RAF fighter pilot in Afghanistan ordered to trim his handlebar moustache - because Americans say it's too long

It's a little bit ticklish and it takes a fair bit of trimming. But Flight Lieutenant Chris Ball never dreamed his handlebar moustache would get him trouble with the U.S. military.

When the RAF pilot was sent on an exchange posting, an American General told him it had to go.

Under U.S. Air Force rules, moustaches should not extend downwards beyond the upper lip or sideways beyond the corner of the mouth.

Flt Lt Ball's handlebar measures an impressive six inches from tip to tip  -  making it almost as long as the teastrainer sported by Lord Kitchener.

'The Yanks are not allowed to grow a full-length tash,' Flt Lt Ball said yesterday. 'After I was told to trim mine down I had to dig out the Queen's Regulations to prove I was not breaching our own code.'

The Regulations state that a moustache should not extend below the edge of the mouth. However, there are no rules on how wide it can be.

So after an 'exchange of views' with the General, the pilot managed to escape a session-with a razor. The face-off took place after Flt Lt Ball, who normally flies Tornado GR4s from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, joined the U.S. 336th Fighter Squadron in February.

He is currently based in Afghanistan, where he is flying an F-15 fighter targeting Taliban strongholds in the mountainous region near Kabul.

'The rugged terrain is difficult with mountain peaks reaching 22,500ft above sea level,' he said.

'It's tough for the guys on the ground  -  during the day the temperatures can reach the high 40s, but at night they plummet to minus 20.

'The U.S.A.F. has two planes in the air over the region 24/7. If anything happens on the ground, we are there fast.

'The F-15 is awesome. I love the GR4 but this beast is about 50 per cent bigger and armed to the teeth. It is a truly phenomenal plane.'

Close shave: Flight Lieutenant Chris Ball (left), seen here pre-moustache, with navigator Mark Crawford while training in the U.S.

Handlebar moustaches such as the one worn by Flt Lt Ball are something of a tradition in the Air Force, with the luxuriant facial hair of Gulf War hero Pablo Mason becoming his trademark.

The Ministry of Defence yesterday said juggling the UK's military regulations with those of foreign forces during exchanges could be 'tricky'.

A spokesman added: 'In this case, simple things like the time to turn up to work and go home would come under the U.S.A.F. But attire, facial hair and discipline would follow RAF rules.'

The Handlebar Club, based in London, said there had been similar cases of anti-moustache discrimination.

The club's vice-president Rod Littlewood added: 'It's absolutely wonderful to hear about someone getting one over on the jobsworths.

'Moustaches are not very popular in the West today and only a very small percentage of people with them have handlebars.

'But round the world it is completely different. Indian police get paid more if they have one because they look more manly.'